Ford Focus and Fiesta

[ripper1]

Any owners of Ford Focus or Fiesta 2012-2016 out there? Any horror stories you might want to share?

 

[pb4uski]

Not here... but DW's first car when we were married was a first generation Ford Fiesta econo-box... it was somewhat of a go-kart with a body in it... a very fun car that I miss.

 

[Bamaman]

I've rented a Ford Focus to binge drive on a long trip. Running 75 mph I was getting 37.5 mpg--pretty good.

Everyone brags so much about the Honda Civic, and I've had a couple of SI models. I actually like the way the Fiesta drives just as well if not better. And they can be bought used for a much better price.

I also rented a Fiesta in Europe. They're a decent sub-compact car, but not especially popular in the U.S. I'd avoid getting one of them unless the price was ridiculously low. Parts availability, especially used parts, are not at all good.

 

[harley]

I've rented a Ford Focus to binge drive on a long trip. Running 75 mph I was getting 37.5 mpg--pretty good.

Everyone brags so much about the Honda Civic, and I've had a couple of SI models. I actually like the way the Fiesta drives just as well if not better. And they can be bought used for a much better price.

And you get to own 4 new models over the lifespan of a Civic. Another plus.

https://repairpal.com/cars/compare/ford-focus-vs-honda-civic

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Except for a F150 I wouldn't consider a Ford in a hundred lifetimes.

 

[frankbrenowitz]

Any owners of Ford Focus or Fiesta 2012-2016 out there? Any horror stories you might want to share?

Can they only be horror stories? I bought a 2011 Focus new (admittedly outside your rather narrow window). 8 years, 133k miles and counting. Replaced the front struts 3 months ago. No other repairs in 8 years, just scheduled maintenance. And thanks to the Civic fanboys on this forum, I can now calculate that the Honda Civic lifespan is at least 32 years and 532k miles. Way to go, Honda!

 

[Qs Laptop]

Not here... but DW's first car when we were married was a first generation Ford Fiesta econo-box... it was somewhat of a go-kart with a body in it... a very fun car that I miss.

My first new car was a 1980 Ford Fiesta Ghia. Basically Euro Ford's version of the highly popular VW Rabbit. Very fun car to drive.

 

[cooch96]

I bought DW a Focus a few years back. The model year would’ve been an ‘08 or so. It had a sealed tranny, which means you can’t switch out fluid. The original tranny crapped out a couple years after we got it. The second one never workEd great and it went bad the same week the steering and shocks wore out. It was mercifully an obvious sign to get a new car.

I haven’t driven a recent fiesta, but they’re an economy car. Design focus is typically on cutting cost: cheap and lightweight parts means a small engine can produce adequate power, low power engine means a cheap low-torque tranny. All this makes a lightweight car which means good mileage, which further helps the consumer’s pocketbook. Be sure to test drive it on rougher roads as soundproofing will be minimal. I don’t see a bunch of old fiestas on the road, don’t plan on keeping it longer than the warranty.

 

[ransil]

2012 Focus Titanium 120k miles currently had APIM, clutches and trans control module replaced under warranty, ABS module out of my pocket.

Highway driving is noisy, seats are comfortable in the titanium avg 33mpg good car overall its my commuter 43 each way daily 75% highway.

Feista- co worker i was carpooling with had one noisier, poorer ride and unconfortable seats ,it was the base model.

 

[yakers]

Had an 08 Focus, drove well for me for a few years, my brother is still driving it @150K+ mi and runs well when I visit. Really liked it. It was an advertising 'special' (very base) model, hand crank wwindows and a 5speed but was <10K$ and the first car I just wrote a check for. Later we leased a Ford Focus Electric, would have bought it off lease if they would have negotiated. Had a wonderful Taurus SHO and cuttently have a Fusion Energi (plug in hybrid) Very happy with Fords, have been good to me.

 

[retiredunder50]

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Focus/

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Fiesta/

Both of those models have some serious issues (including transmission problems) for the first 3 or 4 years of your time span. Be careful.

 

[wrigley]

My son has a 2015 Focus hatchback. He has had the clutches and trans control module replaced 4 times now (no cost to us). Nothing else wrong.....(I sure hope not).

I have a 2018 Focus Sedan. No issues. MPG of around 33.

Mike

 

[ripper1]

I bought a 2014 Focus for my daughter. Unsuspecting to me Ford was selling these cars knowing they had clutch and transmission problems. We will be taking it in for the 3rd time now. Even though under warranty for 7 yrs or 100k miles they can't seem to fix it. The car is a POS.

 

[Andre1969]

Can they only be horror stories? I bought a 2011 Focus new (admittedly outside your rather narrow window). 8 years, 133k miles and counting. Replaced the front struts 3 months ago. No other repairs in 8 years, just scheduled maintenance. And thanks to the Civic fanboys on this forum, I can now calculate that the Honda Civic lifespan is at least 32 years and 532k miles. Way to go, Honda!

I know someone who had a 2005 Focus, which was the same basic body style (the original ran from 2000-2011 I believe, with just a minor facelift here and there). I think she had it up to around 185,000 miles, and nothing really major ever went wrong with it, as far as I know. She traded it on a slightly used Ford Escape a few years back.

I've heard that when the 2000 Focus first came out, it quickly set a record for most recalled car in history, although I find that a bit hard to believe. The previous winner of that title was the 1980 Citation, which itself knocked the 1976 Aspen/Volare off that perch. But, in later years, they would start recalling cars for more and more minor things. I had a 2000 Intrepid that got recalled because they forgot to put instructions in the owner's manual detailing how to install a child's car seat! But, after a few years, like most domestic cars, they got most of the bugs worked out. That early generation was also fairly cheap to fix when it did break, as well.

I don't know much about the 2012+ models, except that they seem more upscale, more "European", more complicated. My guess is, like most newer cars, they don't break down as often, but when they do, the repair costs are higher.

 

[wrigley]

I bought a 2014 Focus for my daughter. Unsuspecting to me Ford was selling these cars knowing they had clutch and transmission problems. We will be taking it in for the 3rd time now. Even though under warranty for 7 yrs or 100k miles they can't seem to fix it. The car is a POS.

You are correct.....although, Ford won't admit it!
Its been about 8 months since they last changed the clutch and trans control module, so if history repeats itself, in about another month Ford will need to replace those parts once again for the fifth time. When my son calls and gives them his VIN they just order the parts and schedule a repair time. There is always a nice new loaner vehicle waiting for him when he gets there!

Mike

 

[razztazz]

Bought a 2010 Focus in 2013. Nice driving car. Ford seems to put some "care" into even their low end cars and tries to "make them nice" and not just an econo-rattle trap.



But, the past three yrs I have had to do something with the breaks costing many hundreds of dollars EACH TIME. OK maybe it's just a confluence of unfortunate circumstances? I only put a couple thousand miles on it EACH YEAR! Hardly running it to death. I shudder to think what the hell this car would be costing me if I actually put normal mileage on it.



And the city gas miles has never been impressive or what I would consider close enough to it's rated gas mileage.

 

[travelover]

...............But, the past three yrs I have had to do something with the brakes costing many hundreds of dollars EACH TIME. OK maybe it's just a confluence of unfortunate circumstances? I only put a couple thousand miles on it EACH YEAR! Hardly running it to death. I shudder to think what the hell this car would be costing me if I actually put normal mileage on it.............

Ironically, the problem with the brakes is most likely caused by letting it sit so much. Rotors rust and caliber slide pins seize. This causes shudder and brake dragging or uneven wear side to side.

 

[razztazz]

Ironically, the problem with the brakes is most likely caused by letting it sit so much. Rotors rust and caliber slide pins seize. This causes shudder and brake dragging or uneven wear side to side.

Yes, cars can wear out even if they don't move at all. All makes and some models, like dog breeds, can also have their own unique "diseases." With Focii it might be brakes? I understand all that. But, three years in a row? They didn't catch any of this?



The car I had before this one was a 1993 Dodge Shadow. Had it 20 years. Never had anything done on it brake-wise. I think maybe pads... at about the 9 or 10 yrs mark. Just things that make me go "Hmmm..?"

 

[Andre1969]

I have a few antique cars that sit around, and probably don't go more than 1,000 miles per year. However, I keep them garaged, so that might factor in.


One of them, a 1979 New Yorker 5th Avenue, I bought back in 2001, with about 85,000 miles on it. Around 2002 or 2003, it did need some fairly major brake work...being close to 25 years old will do that to a car! But, I haven't had to put a thing into it, brake-wise, since then.

My mechanic told me though, that while cars are better for the most part these days, one area where they actually HAVE cheapened out, is in brake components. Rotors are thinner, brake lines more prone to rusting out, calipers and such have a lot more plastic in their components, and can't take extreme heat, and so on.

 

[walkinwood]

I rented a fusion hybrid recently for 9 days and liked it. Decent acceleration, good visibility, Android auto worked flawlessly.

In 2007, I had one of the early fusions for a year (company car) and loved it.

 

[aja8888]

I rented a fusion hybrid recently for 9 days and liked it. Decent acceleration, good visibility, Android auto worked flawlessly.

In 2007, I had one of the early fusions for a year (company car) and loved it.

Fusion is Ford's middle market car, quite an upgrade from the compact/subcompact Fusion/Focus models. No comparison between the models. DD had a 2010 Fusion SEL for 100,000++ miles and all it required was scheduled maintenance. Although the Ford music/communication system was a joke.

Granddaughter had a 2010 Focus, bottom model, through college and outside of scheduled maintenance, both front wheel bearings died around 70K miles and the A/C condenser went south shortly after the wheel bearings. Outside of those two REPAIRS, it was a solid, inexpensive car and served her well.

 

[razztazz]

Good to know. Maybe I'll start a "BRAKES ACCOUNT" and fund it with I-Bonds

I have a few antique cars that sit around, and probably don't go more than 1,000 miles per year. However, I keep them garaged, so that might factor in.


One of them, a 1979 New Yorker 5th Avenue, I bought back in 2001, with about 85,000 miles on it. Around 2002 or 2003, it did need some fairly major brake work...being close to 25 years old will do that to a car! But, I haven't had to put a thing into it, brake-wise, since then.

My mechanic told me though, that while cars are better for the most part these days, one area where they actually HAVE cheapened out, is in brake components. Rotors are thinner, brake lines more prone to rusting out, calipers and such have a lot more plastic in their components, and can't take extreme heat, and so on.

 

[GTFan]

Any owners of Ford Focus or Fiesta 2012-2016 out there? Any horror stories you might want to share?

Go for the 2015-16 Focus, lots of trans issues on earlier years. Ford had to extend warranty on the TCM.

 

[GTFan]

I bought DW a Focus a few years back. The model year would’ve been an ‘08 or so. It had a sealed tranny, which means you can’t switch out fluid.

My wife has a 2008 Focus and the trans is not sealed, we had the fluid replaced at 75k or so (with a filter change so done from the bottom). I think the manual says the fluid does not need changing but it can be done.

No issues with the car but only has 85k miles on it, needs a new thermostat because the one in it sticks open at times and throws a code but I just clear it and move on, doesn't happen often.

 

[ripper1]

You are correct.....although, Ford won't admit it!
Its been about 8 months since they last changed the clutch and trans control module, so if history repeats itself, in about another month Ford will need to replace those parts once again for the fifth time. When my son calls and gives them his VIN they just order the parts and schedule a repair time. There is always a nice new loaner vehicle waiting for him when he gets there!

Mike

Yeah, but once the 7yr or 100k miles is up.....then what.